1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to forage applicator devices and more specifically it relates to a forage preservative applicator system for efficiently and accurately providing forage preservatives to forage during harvesting.
The way forage is harvested and stored determines how well the quality of the crop is preserved. Large quantities of water must be passively removed from cut forage during field-curing of hay. For each ton of 12 percent moisture hay produced, approximately 1.7 and 2.2 tons of water is removed from the fresh herbage of grasses and legumes, respectively.
Hay or silage preservatives will reduce storage losses from molds, bacteria, and fungi when the forage is put up at higher moisture contents. There are many types of hay preservatives with various effects. The various products can be grouped into the five following categories: organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, biologicals, nutrients, and non-specified additive ingredients.
Biological preservatives are generally comprised of bacterial inoculants and enzymes. Biological preservatives are difficult to utilize and expensive. In addition, biological preservatives generally require significant amounts of water for application to a forage crop.
Bacterial inoculants such as lactobacilli and pediococcus have been proven to be safe and non-toxic while delivering improved dry matter retention, improved protein retention, stability and animal acceptance, while remaining cost-effective. Inoculation of forage material with desirable acid-producing bacteria helps to initiate a rapid fermentation and sustain a rapid fall in pH of silage. In hay it may reduce the harmful effects of mold and yeast. In crops that are wilted, and water-soluble carbohydrates are not a problem, research has shown that the use of lactic acid bacteria is a cost-effective means of improving fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria produce both acetate and lactate under low oxygen conditions, which inhibits yeast. The pH level drops quickly, viable counts of yeast and mold are reduced, and the resulting product is very stable.
Enzymes such as cellulose, amylose, and lactobacillus (non-viable) bacteria have also been proven to be safe and non-toxic while delivering improved dry matter retention, improved protein retention, stability and animal acceptance, while remaining cost-effective. These enzymes promote plant cell breakdown and render the cellulose and starch more accessible to desirable acid-producing bacteria.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Forage preservative applicators have been in use for years. Conventional preservative applicators are comprised of a relatively large tank (25 to 100+ gallons), a pressure pump fluidly connected to the tank, pressure gauges and regulators fluidly connected to the pressure pump, and spray nozzles fluidly connected to the pressure pump for dispersing the preservative.
The main problem with conventional forage preservative applicators is that they have many mechanical components that are prone to failure and that are difficult for operators to utilize. In addition, unused preservative remaining within the tank is generally lost since there is no feasible means of maintaining the preservative. Conventional forage preservative applicators can cost a farmer significant amounts of money due to inefficiencies and lost preservative. Another problem with convention preservative applicators is that the reservoirs often times exceed 50 gallons which creates increased pressure upon the cellular structure of the bacteria which can damage or kill the bacteria.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently and accurately providing forage preservatives to forage during harvesting. Conventional forage preservative applicator systems are inefficient and difficult to utilize.
In these respects, the forage preservative applicator system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficiently and accurately providing forage preservatives to forage during harvesting.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of forage additive devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new forage preservative applicator system construction wherein the same can be utilized for efficiently and accurately providing forage preservatives to forage during harvesting.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new forage preservative applicator system that has many of the advantages of the forage additive devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new forage preservative applicator system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art forage additive devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a support base, a reservoir positionable upon the support base for storing a volume of biological solution, a valve fluidly connected to the reservoir, a pump fluidly connected to the valve, and a dispensing tube fluidly connected to the pump for dispensing the biological solution into the forage being harvested. A flush container is preferably attached to the reservoir and fluidly connected to the valve for allowing flushing of the dispensing tube. At least one ice pack is preferably utilized within the reservoir for maintaining the temperature of a biological solution at the desired temperature for extending the useful life of the biological solution.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system for efficiently and accurately providing forage preservatives to forage during harvesting.
Another object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that is constructed of a simple design and structure.
An additional object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that is simple to utilize and operate for most individuals.
A further object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that reduces the amount of forage preservative that is wasted.
Another object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that reduces the costs of applying forage preservatives to crops.
A further object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that allows any unused biological solution to be refrigerated within a conventional refrigerator.
Another object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that utilizes a peristaltic pump for dispensing a biological solution at low pressure and volume rates.
Another object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that utilizes higher concentrates of biological solution thereby reducing the amount of dilution and volume of biological solution handled at one time.
A further object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that maintains a relatively cool temperature within a reservoir storing the biological solution to extend the useful life the bacterial or enzyme solution.
Another object is to provide a forage preservative applicator system that allows complete flushing of the fluid lines to remove bio-film buildup within the lines which are damaging to living bacterial inoculants.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.